3 month old, fourth week

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How your baby is growing

To gently encourage your baby into new physical challenges, try placing her on her tummy. She may lift her head and shoulders up, using her arms for support. This mini push-up strengthens her muscles and gives her a better view of what's going on.

Your baby may even amaze you (and herself!) by rolling from her front to her back. It will be at least a month before she can do it the other way round, although, of course, babies do things at their own pace. Encourage your baby by jiggling a toy next to the side she usually rolls to. Clap and smile. She’ll welcome your reassurance since she may find her new skill rather alarming.

Let’s play

Your life: getting your partner involved

If you're the parent who spends most time with your baby, it’s become second nature to step in whenever she starts crying. But let your partner have the chance to comfort your baby, too. This will give you a break, build your partner's confidence, and help baby and dad to bond.

There are plenty of methods you can encourage your partner to use, but it's also important to leave him room to experiment and learn on his own. Any opportunity for dads to become more involved with their babies is to be welcomed.

Remind your partner to keep an eye on your baby's needs. He may still need a little help with feeding and winding. If she’s crying, he can try to hold her close, rub her back or give her a baby massage.

Many babies are comforted by gentle, rhythmic motions, which will help your partner feel like he's doing something. Dancing, rocking or swinging her may also do the trick. Distraction is worth a go too. He can try to entertain her with silly stunts, singing, funny noises and expressions.

Tips for you this week

If you just can’t face sex yet, even though you feel guilty constantly saying no to your partner, you're not alone. Plenty of mums are too tired or just feel spread too thin to be in the mood for romance.

If your partner is getting increasingly anxious about your love life, take a look at how other couples managed to rekindle their interest in sex. You may find their advice helpful.

However, if romance is back on the agenda in your home, you'll need to think about contraception. You may be surprised by how quickly you could conceive again.

Parent know-how: time off

"My partner and I take it in turns to have a lie-in at the weekend. He gets up on Saturday morning and I get up on Sunday. This means we both get the chance to spend time with our daughter on our own when she is at her most fun and active – first thing in the morning! Also the extra sleep one day a week is a huge luxury."
Catherine

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Food and fertility
A healthy, balanced diet is important when you're trying to conceive. Find out the best foods to eat when trying for a baby, and make sure you're getting all the vitamins and minerals you need.

Meet other mums!
In your Birth Club, you can meet other mums and mums-to-be whose due date, or baby's birth date, is the same as yours. It's the perfect place to share advice, support and friendship with others who know what you're going through, because they are too!